


End of the World

by insominia



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, Drug Use, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-06-29 15:23:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15732168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insominia/pseuds/insominia
Summary: Nate lost something when the Institute blew, and Hancock fears he might be about to lose himself too.Originally at nfkm





	End of the World

**Author's Note:**

> Originally here: https://newfalloutkinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/1168.html?thread=380048#cmt380048
> 
> Based on the prompt: After the destruction of the Institute Sole simply stops caring and becomes extremely reckless. After a mission ends with them nearly being killed, their companion has had enough and confronts them about it.

The pile of mirelurks that had fallen before Hancock had the unfortunate habit of jerking away every time he let off a shot. He'd probably wasted a quarter of his ammo into things that were already dead, but there were so many of them he didn't feel like double checking. If it moved he shot it, it had served him well so far. The ones clawing at him were only soft shells, but he had seen the others out of the corner of his eye. Killclaws, Razorclaws and worse. He was too exposed here, he needed to find cover.   
  
_Why does the sun go on shining...?_  
  
The mirelurks that had been heading for Hancock veered at the sound, leaving the opportunity he had looked for to find shelter. A short sprint, a jump and Hancock found himself relatively secure atop a ruined staircase on an equally ruined floor. The walls weren't up to much either - what remained of them anyway, but he was at least elevated. If the lurks wanted to find him he'd see them coming.  
  
_Why does the sea rush to shore...?_  
  
He couldn't see Nate, despite his vantage point. But he could hear him, well, his radio at least. Not too long ago Hancock would have assumed the music was a deliberate ploy to lure the mirelurks away, these days he wasn't so sure. Nate hadn't been into strategy recently so much as he'd made rash decisions and got by on sheer dumb luck.  
  
_Don't they know it's the end of the world...?_  
  
He saw Nate in the distance blasting a mirelurk at point blank range. Nate ducked down to take cover and at that moment Hancock made to cover him but stopped in his tracks when he saw Nate inject a shot of psycho.  _Again_. A few weeks ago Hancock wouldn't have batted what was left of his eyelids, but this wasn't Nate's first shot today. It might not even have been his second, and he'd been hitting the hard stuff hard even by Hancock's standards.  
  
_Cause you don't love me anymore..._  
  
Nate recovered himself to duck away from a hunter's swipe. He didn't shoot it though, taking off instead, for a boat on the other side of the island. It was almost wearily that Hancock took after him, taking care of the hunter before it could take care of Nate. Nate jumped into the boat's cabin, Hancock right behind him when he reached over and flipped a switch.  
  
There was a whirring as machinery came to life, power surging across the island's speaker system and then...a roar. From the water beyond them, a mirelurk queen emerged, turning to face them and even by mirelurk standards she looked  _pissed_.  
  
_Why do the birds go on singing...?_  
  
Hancock's jaw dropped, but beside him, Nate seemed unfazed. That said, he had that much psycho in his system right now his pupils were dilated enough to disguise whatever shock there might have been. Nate slipped a magazine into his gun, though his fingers were shaking as he did so. The monster was dragging itself towards them, lured no doubt by the obscene volume blasting from Nate's arm.  
  
_Don't they know it's the end of the world...?_  
  
Nate raised his weapon as Hancock's shoulder barged him back into the cabin, "nope," he rasped as Nate stumbled, landing awkwardly on the floor, his rifle skittering onto the deck.  
  
_Don't they-_  
  
"S'cuse me, sister," Hancock jabbed Nate's pip-boy with his boot, cutting Skeeter Davis short. A barrage of acid raining down onto the deck told them they'd been too late in trying to hide from the rapidly approaching queen.   
  
Nate should have been furious. Hancock was braced for at least a glancing blow, but he just lay there. Slowly he pulled himself up, absently looking for his rifle as though he couldn't quite figure out how he'd landed there. His eyes couldn't focus, seemingly oblivious to Hancock or the much larger threat outside the boat.   
  
"Christ," Hancock muttered, fishing around his pockets. He had one somewhere, he kept one on the off chance... _there_. He handed the inhaler to Nate, who took it with a smirk, but after the first huff, he realised he'd been had. He tossed the empty inhaler aside, his eyes focused and his hands no longer shaking. Outside the window Hancock saw the queen move off, searching for them across the beach.   
  
Nate tried to get up but Hancock gave him a harsh shove, knocking him back down, "well this isn't how I thought this'd go down but it looks like you and I are going to have a little chat."  
  
Nate laughed, "yeah sure buddy, pass me my gun." He made to get up again but Hancock pushed him down again, just as harshly.   
  
"now you wanna explain to me just what the hell you think you're doing?"  
  
Nate spread his arms out, grinning as though he hadn't a care in the world. "Just hunting some lurks."  
  
"Come on man don't give me that crap. You're getting sloppy - hell you're  _letting_  yourself get sloppy and if those lurks don't get you the chems will, and that's me saying that. What happened, man? Since you blew the Institute-"  
  
Nate was an accomplished liar. You didn't get in with the Brotherhood and the Railroad without being able to lie your ass off convincingly about what you were saying to the other side. But he hadn't expected that sudden reminder and Hancock saw it hit so far home not even Nate could hide it.  
  
"So that's it huh? You're bummed about the Institute."  
  
There was a roar from outside and the boat rocked violently - the queen was getting restless. This was not the time or the place to be having this conversation, but if they didn't have it now there might not be another time or place.  
  
"Bummed?" Nate was wringing his hands though he didn't seem to be aware that he was doing so. "I watched my son die, Hancock. All the shit I went through to find him and he died hating me while I destroyed everything he'd built. My wife's dead, my son is dead..."  
  
"So what? You wanna off yourself now?"   
  
Nate flinched, "what?! No! I just...I dunno..."  
  
"Look, man," Hancock sighed, crouching opposite him, "that shit with your son was fucked up even by the commonwealth's standards. And that thing with your wife was a mess, but you're not the only one who's gotten a raw deal from the Institute. You got a whole camp full of them back home. You think I don't go to bed every night thinking 'bout my brother and what they did to him? You think Paladin Crew-Cut is all fine and dandy wondering what he is? We all got problems and they start and end with the Institute."  
  
"But...my _son_ -"  
  
Hancock gave Nate's leg a gentle smack as more acid rained down outside. "Yeah yeah, I'm not saying you've not had it rough, but you and me, we've done a lot of good out here and I don't wanna see you throw that away. Now if you wanna top yourself you go right ahead. Not saying I'd be happy about it but I'd rather that than you drag me around waiting for me to bury you. Now," he stretched himself up and held a hand out to Nate, "you wanna shut her up or you want me to leave you here?"  
  
Nate exhaled long and hard before he accepted Hancock's hand. Hancock pulled him up and clapped him on the shoulder, but it was a sincere gesture, there was nothing dismissive about it. "One day at a time, brother."  
  
He moved to check the queen's position, flicking Nate's rifle back to him with his heel, "right now let's just worry about getting out of this in one piece."  
  
Nate managed something that was almost a smile. "OK. Thanks, Hancock."   
  
"Don't worry about it. Now, you think you can distract princess cutie over there?"  
  
Nate almost beamed, "sure."   
  
They both broke for different ends of the boat as Nate smacked his pip-boy. The mirelurk queen screamed and turned towards the sound.  
  
_It ended when you said goodbye._


End file.
